Sunday, July 12, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Planning a trip
There is a lot that goes into planning a trip: where to go, when, how long to stay, what to see, how to pack????
Albania - two weeks from now - two weeks
Becca is planning the itinerary so I really don't have to worry too much about that. We are making a list of what to pack - our PCV daughter wants us to bring stuff - things she can't get there and gifts from Colorado for her friends. I just got some new shoes and I think I need a new bag too, my old one is coming apart at the seams.
I would like to go digital, but the SLR camera I want is $$$ so I may end up taking film again, how many rolls?
Why Albania? it is the up and coming tourist destination (see Becca's blog )
and of course because Becca is there. She is our Peace Corps Volunteer daughter.
Also, because I can fly there with my benefits! not free, but cheaper that paying full fare.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Conversations at the airport
Working at the airport, I meet many people in a day. Sometime there is time to actually have a conversation besides the business of boarding a plane, changing seat assignments, and getting people rebooked if they have missed a flight or are one of those who can't get on a plane because of overbooking or weight restrictions.
Today I had several interesting conversations:
I talked to a man reading a Michener novel about reading those and his work for FEMA and my past life in the Peace Corps and our plans to travel to Albania to visit my PCV daughter. I learned that one of the pilots that I see from time to time at my gate is the son of a Group 1, Philippines, Peace Corps Volunteer. We talked about Peace Corps and places in the Visayas in the Philippines. A third conversation was with a man headed to South Dakota. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Educational Department. I told him about Becca's work with the Seeking Common Ground Building Bridges for Peace camps and her trip to visit friends at Pine Ridge. I also had time to visit with several friends who are members of our flight crews and to other agents about planning trips.
Last week I talked to several passengers about the books that they were reading. Last year I met an actor that I recognized from the 80's show "Hill Street Blues". He was waiting for a plane to Montana with a companion and had several hours to kill. We talked off and on for most of that time. We talked about TV characters and shows, education, Montana, skiing and other topics. I was working at the customer service desk and we weren't very busy. His gate was right next door. I was a delightful meeting. A week later when they passed back thru on their way home to California, they said hello to me. How nice.
Another day I met the grandson of Winston Churchill. We talked for only a few minutes but it was interesting. "6 degrees"!! A gentleman I saw one day was wearing military insignia. It turned out he was one of the "Code Talkers" from WWII. He and his wife were traveling for a ceremony somewhere. We often get sports groups going thru. They usually have matching bags or jackets. Today it was a track team from Iowa. Another day I had a roller derby team go on my plane to Colorado Springs. We had to alert the bag handlers working the ramp the day that we had a minor league baseball team coming thru. They didn't want to arrive without their gear. Cute guys!! Last week we had groups going up to Aspen for the DAV winter games clinics.
A woman I met one day was on her way to Huntsville, Alabama. Our conversation started out because she was wearing a beautiful necklace. I told her it was beautiful and she said,"Thank you, I used to be the president of the US Opal Society, but I am really just a rocket scientist." That lead to me talking about working for NASA during my college summers and her talking about her childhood in New Mexico where her father was also a "rocket scientist" and "Uncle Werner" and "Uncle Albert" came to dinner. What an interesting lady.
Each day brings it's challenges and a new cast of characters. I enjoy talking to my fellow agents, especially those who have come from other countries around the world. We like to see the crews coming through. Talking to them keeps it interesting.
Today I had several interesting conversations:
I talked to a man reading a Michener novel about reading those and his work for FEMA and my past life in the Peace Corps and our plans to travel to Albania to visit my PCV daughter. I learned that one of the pilots that I see from time to time at my gate is the son of a Group 1, Philippines, Peace Corps Volunteer. We talked about Peace Corps and places in the Visayas in the Philippines. A third conversation was with a man headed to South Dakota. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Educational Department. I told him about Becca's work with the Seeking Common Ground Building Bridges for Peace camps and her trip to visit friends at Pine Ridge. I also had time to visit with several friends who are members of our flight crews and to other agents about planning trips.
Last week I talked to several passengers about the books that they were reading. Last year I met an actor that I recognized from the 80's show "Hill Street Blues". He was waiting for a plane to Montana with a companion and had several hours to kill. We talked off and on for most of that time. We talked about TV characters and shows, education, Montana, skiing and other topics. I was working at the customer service desk and we weren't very busy. His gate was right next door. I was a delightful meeting. A week later when they passed back thru on their way home to California, they said hello to me. How nice.
Another day I met the grandson of Winston Churchill. We talked for only a few minutes but it was interesting. "6 degrees"!! A gentleman I saw one day was wearing military insignia. It turned out he was one of the "Code Talkers" from WWII. He and his wife were traveling for a ceremony somewhere. We often get sports groups going thru. They usually have matching bags or jackets. Today it was a track team from Iowa. Another day I had a roller derby team go on my plane to Colorado Springs. We had to alert the bag handlers working the ramp the day that we had a minor league baseball team coming thru. They didn't want to arrive without their gear. Cute guys!! Last week we had groups going up to Aspen for the DAV winter games clinics.
A woman I met one day was on her way to Huntsville, Alabama. Our conversation started out because she was wearing a beautiful necklace. I told her it was beautiful and she said,"Thank you, I used to be the president of the US Opal Society, but I am really just a rocket scientist." That lead to me talking about working for NASA during my college summers and her talking about her childhood in New Mexico where her father was also a "rocket scientist" and "Uncle Werner" and "Uncle Albert" came to dinner. What an interesting lady.
Each day brings it's challenges and a new cast of characters. I enjoy talking to my fellow agents, especially those who have come from other countries around the world. We like to see the crews coming through. Talking to them keeps it interesting.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Making cookies
I have a confession to make: I really am not very good at making cookies. Now, don't get me wrong, my cookies taste very good. I take cookies to most pot-luck dinners that I go to and get rave reviews. What I mean to say is that my cookies aren't beautiful like those made by my friends Shirley and Christine. Their cookies are works of art. Shirley has done demonstrations of cookie decorating for the national convention of the Cookie Cutter Collector's Club. If you have been to one of the CCCC conventions in the last decade, you have seen her cookies. Christine brought some airbrushed beauties to the Spring meeting of the Rocky Mountain Cut-ups last year. I almost didn't want to eat them. In fact there are many cookie artists in the Cookie Cutter Collector's Clubs. There is one collector that sells extra cutters on eBay who uses wonderful decorated cookies as a selling point for the cutters.
You would think that as a very active cookie cutter collector, I would be better at making cookies. The other day, I got home from work and decided to make some cookies for the Super Bowl pot-luck for those of us who were working on Sunday. So I found a football shaped cookie cutter (I have at least 3 or 4 in my collection) This one had the impression of the laces so I had to roll the sugar cookies out thicker than I usually do so that the impression would show. When I baked them they raised up from the baking powder and baked together so some of my footballs had sharp corners! I really didn't have time to decorate them with icing and I didn't have the right color of dusting sugar or sprinkles so I had slightly off shape plain sugar cookie footballs. I then decided to try to make some little spritz footballs. I mixed up a batch of my ginger spritz cookies and put the dough into the cookie press with the oval die. At first the dough was a little too soft so I added some flour to make it firmer (no, cooling the dough doesn't work with this recipe). Then the dough was a little too stiff. I've had this cookie press for over a decade and when I tried to press the dough out, the plastic screw part on the handle section cracked! I was heartbroken. I love that cookie press. It is a Wilton "Bite-Size" cookie press. I can make a batch of Spritz (butter) cookies using that press in one hour, start to finish, and I often do. Spritz cookies come out cute, no decorating needed. Sometime I use colored sugar or sprinkles to decorate them but they are pretty anyway, especially when I color the dough. The ring holding the die to the end of the press had cracked a few years ago and Kathy's husband fixed it by using a hose clamp. The "Bite Size" press is no longer available but I was lucky to find another one on eBay a while back so I do have a back-up. The oval die didn't work as well as some of the other shapes but the cookies looked like little footballs. Everyone thought the cookies were cute and tasted wonderful. It is just, for me, sometimes I wish I had the talent and patience to make the beautiful cookies that some of my friends make!
You would think that as a very active cookie cutter collector, I would be better at making cookies. The other day, I got home from work and decided to make some cookies for the Super Bowl pot-luck for those of us who were working on Sunday. So I found a football shaped cookie cutter (I have at least 3 or 4 in my collection) This one had the impression of the laces so I had to roll the sugar cookies out thicker than I usually do so that the impression would show. When I baked them they raised up from the baking powder and baked together so some of my footballs had sharp corners! I really didn't have time to decorate them with icing and I didn't have the right color of dusting sugar or sprinkles so I had slightly off shape plain sugar cookie footballs. I then decided to try to make some little spritz footballs. I mixed up a batch of my ginger spritz cookies and put the dough into the cookie press with the oval die. At first the dough was a little too soft so I added some flour to make it firmer (no, cooling the dough doesn't work with this recipe). Then the dough was a little too stiff. I've had this cookie press for over a decade and when I tried to press the dough out, the plastic screw part on the handle section cracked! I was heartbroken. I love that cookie press. It is a Wilton "Bite-Size" cookie press. I can make a batch of Spritz (butter) cookies using that press in one hour, start to finish, and I often do. Spritz cookies come out cute, no decorating needed. Sometime I use colored sugar or sprinkles to decorate them but they are pretty anyway, especially when I color the dough. The ring holding the die to the end of the press had cracked a few years ago and Kathy's husband fixed it by using a hose clamp. The "Bite Size" press is no longer available but I was lucky to find another one on eBay a while back so I do have a back-up. The oval die didn't work as well as some of the other shapes but the cookies looked like little footballs. Everyone thought the cookies were cute and tasted wonderful. It is just, for me, sometimes I wish I had the talent and patience to make the beautiful cookies that some of my friends make!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Defiance
We went to see Defiance last night. David was a History major in college and was especially interested in WWII. His father came from Minsk (now Belorussia) as a child but there were a brother and two sisters left in Russia when the left in the 20's. This story is about a motley group of Jewish refugees who hid and fought in the forest for over 3 years. The story of how they lived and died brought tears to our eyes. By the end of the war over 1200 people came out of the woods. I would recommend this movie to everyone. How can we change and become more tolerant if we don't know what has happened in the past?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
People of the Book
People of the Book: A Novel by Geraldine BrooksMy review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked up this book because we found a copy of the Sarajevo Haggadah when we were in Yugoslavia in 1974. The commentary by Cecil Roth with a facsimile of the beautiful Haggadah was only published the year before in 1973. People of the Book is a fictional story that traces the book back through history. The story is disturbing because of the tragic history of the times. The book is traced from the Inquisition, the ghetto in Venice, the Holocast and the Bosnian war. The work has wonderful episodes of the best in human behavior and heart renching stories of the worst. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially to those who really don't know much about history.
View all my reviews.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I Am a Bookaholic!
I LOVE BOOKS.
I don't drink beer and only occasionally have a glass of wine. I don't smoke. My major "vice" is reading. I always have a book that I am reading - sometimes more than one. I have a book stand that I keep on the table at home where I put my book so that I can read while I eat. Sometimes I am multi-tasking, watching a program on TV, reading a book, and eating. I keep another book stand in my lunch bag. I use it at work in the lunch room so I can read while I eat there. I subscribe to Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock short story magazines. I keep one of them in my back pack just in case I finish a book and don't have another one ready to read.
The first book I remember reading was a mini-book with Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha" that my first grade teacher had in her little closet library. My sister and I used to walk several blocks to where the book-mobile parked in front of the Community Church each week (we didn't have a library in our town). We would walk home with a grocery sack full of books, read them during the week and take them back the next Saturday. I have over 50 Bobbsey Twins books that I bought with my own money when I was a kid. I read Michener and Jean Auel as each of their new massive novels came out in paperback. I was angry when I found J.R.R.Tolkein on the Science Fiction shelf in the store but soon discovered the appellation "and Fantasy". Now one of my favorite authors is Anne McCaffrey. I love all of her series especially the Pern books. I read Steinbeck, Solzhenitsyn , and Issac Bashevits Singer and I love Sholem Aleichem. I read the Little House books as an adult and the Anne of Green Gables series. As a college student I was introduced to Winnie the Pooh and am a fan of "Piglet" and "Heffalumps".
I read novels, mysteries and sci-fi. I don't like "terror" books. The only Stephen King I have read is "The Stand" but I liked it. I even read some romance novels and am a great fan of Harry Potter. I rarely read non-fiction but I loved "Three Cups of Tea".
I have been spending some time updating my books on "goodreads" from the pile of books I have read in the last few years. You can see see from the list that I read James Patterson and John Grisham and another of my recent favorites is Alexander-McCall-Smith.
I LOVE BOOKS!!
I don't drink beer and only occasionally have a glass of wine. I don't smoke. My major "vice" is reading. I always have a book that I am reading - sometimes more than one. I have a book stand that I keep on the table at home where I put my book so that I can read while I eat. Sometimes I am multi-tasking, watching a program on TV, reading a book, and eating. I keep another book stand in my lunch bag. I use it at work in the lunch room so I can read while I eat there. I subscribe to Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock short story magazines. I keep one of them in my back pack just in case I finish a book and don't have another one ready to read.
The first book I remember reading was a mini-book with Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha" that my first grade teacher had in her little closet library. My sister and I used to walk several blocks to where the book-mobile parked in front of the Community Church each week (we didn't have a library in our town). We would walk home with a grocery sack full of books, read them during the week and take them back the next Saturday. I have over 50 Bobbsey Twins books that I bought with my own money when I was a kid. I read Michener and Jean Auel as each of their new massive novels came out in paperback. I was angry when I found J.R.R.Tolkein on the Science Fiction shelf in the store but soon discovered the appellation "and Fantasy". Now one of my favorite authors is Anne McCaffrey. I love all of her series especially the Pern books. I read Steinbeck, Solzhenitsyn , and Issac Bashevits Singer and I love Sholem Aleichem. I read the Little House books as an adult and the Anne of Green Gables series. As a college student I was introduced to Winnie the Pooh and am a fan of "Piglet" and "Heffalumps".
I read novels, mysteries and sci-fi. I don't like "terror" books. The only Stephen King I have read is "The Stand" but I liked it. I even read some romance novels and am a great fan of Harry Potter. I rarely read non-fiction but I loved "Three Cups of Tea".
I have been spending some time updating my books on "goodreads" from the pile of books I have read in the last few years. You can see see from the list that I read James Patterson and John Grisham and another of my recent favorites is Alexander-McCall-Smith.
I LOVE BOOKS!!
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